"We Are Not Messing Around": Over 8,600 People Arrested In FBI Campaign Targeting Violent Crimes

 by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its partners have arrested 8,629 individuals across the United States as part of its “Summer Heat” campaign, the agency said in an Oct. 2 statement.

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on Sept. 17, 2025. Win McNamee/Getty Images

More than 6,500 out of the 8,629 arrests fell under the FBI’s Violent Crime and Gang program, said the agency.

“We are not messing around,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our No. 1 mission is crushing violent crime. If you hurt a child, we’re coming for you. If you jack a car, we’re coming for you. If you’re polluting our neighborhoods with deadly drugs, we’re coming for you.”

Investigators looking into violent crimes against children located or identified 1,053 minor victims as part of Summer Heat. In addition, authorities have seized 2,281 weapons, 98,000 pounds of cocaine, and 928 pounds of fentanyl.

The operations took place between June 24 and Sept. 20, with all 55 FBI field offices contributing to the offensive, the FBI said.

In one operation, the agency targeted violent offenders in four cities—Baton Rouge and New Orleans in Louisiana; Memphis in Tennessee; and Miami in Florida—leading to the arrests of 417 individuals and seizing 159 firearms.

“We are grateful for Director Kash Patel and our brave FBI agents who removed more than 8,600 violent offenders from our streets this summer,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

“Under President [Donald] Trump’s directive to make America safe again, this Department of Justice will continue prosecuting violent crime and dismantling criminal gangs who are wreaking havoc in our communities.”

In an Oct. 3 statement, FBI Dallas said it captured several criminals over the past three months, which included the arrests of Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Cindy Rodriguez Singh and Cesar Pascual Orozco.

“Under Operation Summer Heat, FBI Dallas collaborated with our law enforcement partners to apprehend fugitives, seize drugs and firearms, and arrest child predators. We remain committed to protecting our North Texas communities from violent crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.

The FBI’s stats come as the Trump administration has taken numerous steps to tackle violent crime in various American cities.

In August, Trump federalized D.C.’s policing. On Sept. 9, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that law enforcement had arrested 2,177 individuals in the nation’s capital since then.

Trump has also ordered federal agents to assist state and local officials in Tennessee, with the federal crackdown leading to 153 arrests in Memphis in four days since Monday.

Meanwhile, Trump signed a memorandum on Sept. 25, ordering the attorney general to fully implement the death penalty in the District of Columbia.

In a Sept. 25 statement, Free DC, a movement for self-determination rights in Washington, criticized the measure and accused Trump of wanting to “spread fear” via the death penalty decision.

“His actions are not about safety, they are only about him consolidating power,” Free DC said.

“This is yet another reminder that D.C. needs full power over our justice system—permanently. We need statehood now. Not tomorrow, not in four years. Now.”

The administration is also cracking down on illegal immigrant crimes. On Oct. 3, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the arrests of more than 1,000 illegal immigrants under Operation Midway Blitz, which targets illegal immigrant criminals in Illinois.

The agency said the arrested individuals include the “worst of the worst,” such as child abusers, pedophiles, gang members, and kidnappers.

“President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem will not allow continued violence or repeat offenders to terrorize our neighborhoods and victimize our children,” said DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. “Operation Midway Blitz is making Illinois safe again.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/we-are-not-messing-around-more-8600-people-arrested-fbi-campaign-targeting-violent-crimes

Impact of Testosterone Therapy on Prostate Health in Seniors

 Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) was linked to a lower risk for prostate cancer and a modestly higher risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia in men aged 65 years or older with hypogonadism. The strength of the association varied based on treatment duration, route of administration, and whether an aromatase inhibitor was coadministered.

METHODOLOGY:

• Although the Endocrine Society guidelines recommend TRT for men with testosterone levels ≤ 300 ng/dL in two morning samples, a primary concern is its potential to exacerbate prostate-related conditions such as prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
• To address concerns about potential prostate-related complications associated with TRT, researchers analyzed Medicare enrollment and claims data from 2007 to 2020 for men aged 65 years or older with diagnosed primary or secondary hypogonadism.
• They used propensity score matching to compare TRT users with nonusers based on age at the time of hypogonadism diagnosis; 546,964 and 412,782 men were in prostate cancer analysis and benign prostatic hyperplasia analysis groups, respectively.
• Treatment categorization included the duration of use (short term ≤ 1 year or long term > 1 year), administration route (topical or parenteral), and aromatase inhibitor coadministration.

TAKEAWAY:

• The use of TRT was associated with a 16% reduction in the risk for prostate cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 0.84; 95% CI, 0.82-0.86), with reductions being observed across long-term (15%), short-term (16%), parenteral (12%), and topical (13%) use; TRT plus aromatase inhibitor therapy was not linked to a reduced risk for prostate cancer.
• Analyses that excluded men with high prostate-specific antigen levels or a family history of prostate cancer showed that those on TRT had an 18% lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
• However, the use of TRT showed a 13% increased risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia (HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11-1.14), with a larger increase seen for parenteral vs topical administration (19% vs 12%); the use of TRT was linked to an increased risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia regardless of the use of aromatase inhibitor therapy.
• Long-term use of topical TRT was associated with the smallest increase in the risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

IN PRACTICE:

“Despite its proven efficacy in managing hypogonadism, many men remain untreated due to the concern about PCa [prostate cancer] risk. Our findings provide reassuring evidence that may support more informed, individualized clinical decision-making, potentially encouraging reconsideration of TRT among eligible men who have been hesitant to initiate therapy due to fear of PCa or BPH [benign prostatic hyperplasia],” the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Seo Hyon Baik, PhD, Division of Intramural Research, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. It was published online in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

LIMITATIONS:

As an observational study, the study cannot establish causality between TRT use and prostatic outcomes. Baseline testosterone levels at hypogonadism diagnosis could not be determined. Medication exposure was inferred from prescription fill records without confirmation of actual dispensation or consumption. The research was limited to Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older, which may restrict generalizability to younger populations. 

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by the Division of Intramural Research of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/impact-testosterone-therapy-prostate-health-seniors-2025a1000qsy

'When Tumors Vanish: The Mystery of Spontaneous Regression'

 Spontaneous regression of cancer is an uncommon event observed most often in neuroblastoma, leukemia, lung cancer, and melanoma. 

The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood; however, infections and immune system activation may contribute to treatment development.

Historical Observations

In 1891, William B. Coley, a surgeon, reported the disappearance of recurrent spindle cell sarcoma in a patient after the patient developed erysipelas, a severe bacterial skin infection, and the wound healed after treatment. 

Observing immune-related tumor regression, Coley developed bacterial preparations, later called Coley toxins, to intentionally induce high fever in patients with cancer. 

The regimen produced measurable tumor responses in sarcomas but was less effective for carcinomas and carried notable safety risks. By the mid-20th century, radiation therapy largely replaced this approach. 

However, Coley was the first to use immunotherapeutic techniques to treat cancer. He found that infections could activate the immune system of the patient to attack the tumor cells. 

In 1918, G. L. Rohdenburg, MD, identified histologically confirmed cases of spontaneous cancer regression. In some patients, high fever (40-40.5 °C) occurred 3-5 days before regression, suggesting a potential link between immune activation and tumor disappearance.

Reports suggest that the use of antipyretics for fever may reduce their potential role in triggering tumor regression. 

Other regressions followed repeated infections or partial tumor removal. Rohdenburg also believed that external heat applications could help, similar to the hyperthermia used in modern cancer treatments.

Forty years later, Tilden C. Everson, MD, and Warren H. Cole, MD, from the Department of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, defined spontaneous remission or regression as the partial or complete disappearance of malignant tumors without adequate conventional treatment.

Immune Activation and Tumor Regression

Generally, the immune system tolerates tumors despite recognizing them as foreign. According to the danger model, tumors rarely emit alarm signals unless they are damaged by infection or toxins. Once injured, tumor cells activate local antigen-presenting cells, triggering an immune response in the body. 

Coley’s experience supports this mechanism: His regimen involved administering the “toxin” daily or every other day until the tumor disappeared, followed by weekly doses for several months to prevent recurrence. If viable tumor cells remain, the immune response may fail, allowing the tumor to regrow unnoticed.

Favored Tumors

Both acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) exhibit spontaneous remission; however, relapse is common in both. In a series of 50 AML and four ALL cases, 76% of remissions were associated with bacterial infection and 45% with blood transfusion. Relapses were frequent, with a median remission duration of approximately 5 months.

Viral infections can destroy malignant cells and trigger systemic immune responses. In 1904, George Dock, MD, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, reported spontaneous remission of undifferentiated acute leukemia after influenza. 

Attempts to treat malignancies with wild-type viruses have been unreliable, resulting in partial and short-lived remission. 

Currently, the genetically modified herpesvirus talimogene laherparepvec is approved in the United States for intratumoral injection in patients with advanced unresectable melanoma. 

Interestingly, smallpox vaccination has been associated with spontaneous remission of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccination has been associated with remission of metastatic melanoma.

In rare cases, other primary tumors and metastases to multiple organs also show spontaneous regression. Among the 14 reported lung malignancies, six were linked to neurological diseases, suggesting that T lymphocytes may have cross-reacted with nervous tissue under the influence of onconeural antibodies.

The causes of spontaneous remission remain unclear. Contributing factors include misdiagnosis, hormonal changes, unusual responses to inappropriate radiotherapy, fever, infections, allergic reactions, altered tumor vascularization, removal of cancer-causing factors, alternative treatment methods, blood transfusions, biopsies, excisions, and nonspecific external interventions that induce cell death.

Intratumoral, intravenous, and preoperative adjuvant applications of oncolytic viruses are actively being researched. Understanding the underlying mechanisms or combinations of mechanisms responsible for spontaneous tumor regression can guide the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/when-tumors-vanish-mystery-spontaneous-regression-2025a1000qty

Lilly earmarks $1B-plus for contract manufacturing partnerships in India

 Amid Eli Lilly's efforts to strengthen its global manufacturing network, the Indianapolis pharma giant is splashing more than $1 billion into its Indian operations, with plans to tap local partners for production deals.

The investment will come to fruition over the coming years and is aimed at boosting the supply of key Eli Lilly drugs for obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and autoimmune conditions through local contract manufacturers, Reuters reported Monday.

In a statement to Fierce Pharma, the company confirmed a planned investment of "more than $1 billion" in contract manufacturing in India, but did not provide further details.

Part of the investment will go to a new manufacturing and quality facility in the city of Hyderabad to oversee Lilly's network of contract manufacturers, according to Reuters. 

The drugmaker has been operating in India since 1993 at its commercial site in Guraugram Gurgaon and also has a “critical global hub” in Bengaluru, according to its website. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to establish a global capability center (GCC) in Hyderabad.Since 2020, the drugmaker has spent more than $55 billion on its global manufacturing capabilities. The latest overseas investment comes after President Donald Trump announced 100% tariffs on imported branded drugs, a policy that exempts companies that are working to build U.S. manufacturing plants.

Stateside, Lilly has been swelling its footprint with billions of dollars in investments. In February, the company pledged $27 billion in four new U.S. production facilities. Since then, the company has unveiled plans for massive facilities in Virginia and Texas.

https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/eli-lilly-earmarks-over-1b-boost-contract-manufacturing-india

Leap Therapeutics secures $58.9M PIPE to launch digital asset strategy

  Leap Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:LPTX) stock surged Monday after the biotechnology company announced it has secured nearly $59 million in cash commitments for a private investment in public equity (PIPE) offering led by Winklevoss Capital.

The investment will help Leap initiate a digital asset treasury strategy, with Winklevoss Capital providing both capital and strategic guidance. The deal involves the purchase of approximately 95.8 million shares of common stock or pre-funded warrants, plus warrants to purchase an additional 71.9 million shares at an exercise price of $0.5335 per share.

As part of the agreement, Leap will expand its Board of Directors to 12 members, with Winklevoss Capital gaining the right to nominate two individuals, including the board chairperson. The company plans to use a portion of the capital to continue development of its therapeutic programs, including FL-501 and sirexatamab.

Sirexatamab recently completed a randomized controlled Phase 2 trial in colorectal cancer patients, with results scheduled for presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Berlin on October 19.

The private placement is expected to close around October 8, subject to customary closing conditions. Parcrest is serving as the placement agent for the transaction, with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP acting as Leap’s legal advisor and Cooley LLP representing Winklevoss Capital.

Leap Therapeutics focuses on developing targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutics and has indicated it will provide additional updates on its treasury activities in the near future.

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/leap-therapeutics-stock-soars-after-securing-589m-investment-93CH-4273283

AbbVie succeeds in mid-stage study of Botox for essential tremor

 AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV), a $413 billion market cap biotechnology giant with over $58 billion in annual revenue, announced Monday that its Phase 2 trial evaluating onabotulinumtoxinA (BOTOX) for upper limb essential tremor met its primary endpoint, showing statistically significant improvement compared to placebo. 

The ELATE trial demonstrated that patients receiving onabotulinumtoxinA achieved greater reduction in the Tremor Disability Scale-Revised total unilateral score compared to placebo (-2.61 versus -1.61, p=0.029) at week 18. The study also met all six secondary endpoints.

Essential tremor affects approximately 25-60 million people worldwide and is the most common movement disorder. No new pharmacological treatments have been approved in the U.S. for this condition in more than 30 years.

https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/abbvie-reports-positive-results-in-essential-tremor-treatment-trial-93CH-4272900

Intellia Therapeutics upgraded by Citizens JMP on HAE opportunity

 Shares of Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA) rose 6% after Citizens JMP Securities upgraded the stock from Market Perform to Market Outperform with a new $33 price target, citing a strengthened outlook for the company’s hereditary angioedema (HAE) program.

Analyst Silvan Tuerkcan, pointed to strong physician enthusiasm for Intellia’s once-and-done gene therapy candidate lonvo-z, based on a proprietary survey of U.S. allergist-immunologists. Survey results suggest lonvo-z could capture over 19% market share, translating into a $2.8 billion market opportunity.

Tuerkcan noted progress in the ongoing Phase 3 HAELO trial, which completed enrollment just nine months after the first patient was dosed in January 2025. Phase 2 data—expected by year-end—could act as a major catalyst, providing ~80% of the information content of the pivotal trial due in 2026.

Citizens also highlighted the potential of Intellia’s ATTR program, positioning it as a best-in-class one-time treatment with strong early efficacy and safety data. With a market cap of $2.1 billion and no long-term debt, Citizens believes NTLA is attractively valued, especially with $631 million in cash on hand to support further development.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/intellia-therapeutics-upgraded-by-citizens-jmp-on-hae-opportunity-shares-rise-6/ar-AA1NXlvl